Marks and Spencer chief executive Marc Bolland has said the UK retailer plans to introduce the first in a range of exclusive international food brands to some of its stores in October.

Last year, Bolland revealed plans to introduce a range of around 100 international niche brands that he said would not be available anywhere else in the UK. The move is part of plans to reposition the chain as more of a food specialist.

Bolland said on Wednesday (13 July) that the first products will be introduced in October in its pilot stores, which will offer an improved range, and a better tailored offer to each outlet’s catchment area.

The retailer said on Wednesday that its food sales “continued to outperform the market” on a like-for-like basis. It reported that for the quarter ended 2 July that like-for-like sales were up 3.3% and that its market share rose 10 basis points to 3.8%.

Over the quarter, the retailer launched more than 500 food products, including a “broader choice of healthy eating options for the summer”.

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